


New worlds

by beamirang



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types
Genre: Alec and Madzie are adorable, Alec and Magnus are changing the world, BAMF Magnus Bane, Cute, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Feels, Grumpy Alec Lightwood, Head of the Institute Alec Lightwood, Hurt Alec Lightwood, Jace Wayland Needs A Hug, Jace and Magnus will burn your shit down, M/M, Parabatai Feels, Protective Jace Wayland, Sick Magnus Bane, Sparring, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-27
Updated: 2019-03-01
Packaged: 2019-11-06 14:57:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17941877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beamirang/pseuds/beamirang
Summary: Jace is fairly sure the New York Institute has never seen its leader barking out mission orders while cuddling a scared, sleepy warlock child. He’s also fairly sure that no one expects Alec Lightwood to be anything less than an uncompromising hardass, not someone you’d run to after a nightmare.Jace knows better. And if anyone even thinks about making a derogatory comment, Jace is going to rip their spines out. In a totally child friendly, not at all gory manner.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Русский available: [New worlds](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18420948) by [Batty_Blue](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Batty_Blue/pseuds/Batty_Blue)



> Inspired by Magnus’s entirely Gone look from 3.11 and my continuing need to give Jace a hug.

Jace is on edge. After weeks spent spiralling between crippling self-hatred, agonizing grief and the abject boredom of being benched from field ops, it’s almost refreshing to have something else to focus his jittery temper on. That said, he’s also maybe a half second from starting another diplomatic incident and murdering several his fellow shadowhunters in a fit of protective rage.

No one’s _done_ anything yet. Or said anything. Or really looked like they might be considering either. _But_. It’s only a matter of time.

The ops centre is in a state of organized chaos. A group of mundane teenagers have managed to Google themselves into a pretty intense demonic summoning, and now the technical infrastructure of lower Manhattan is playing host to a number of particularly malicious hellspawn from Duduael. It’s a massive pain in the ass, but nothing they can’t handle. Jace isn’t worried about the demons; he’s worried about Alec.

Or rather, he’s worried about _other_ _people_ worrying about Alec.

When Magnus Bane walks into the Institute with Madzie clinging to his side, Alec doesn’t even pause mid-briefing, dropping a light kiss on Magnus’s cheek between breaths, and lifting the little girl onto one hip while tapping on the city map with his other hand. She’s now wrapped around him like a koala, her face buried in his neck.

Magnus’s eyes are sad and impossibly old. “Nightmares,” he says, touching Madzie’s arm with gentle, ring covered fingers. Alec doesn’t say anything, but he does run his hand carefully over the back of her head. Madzie whimpers his name, and clings harder.

Alec, decision made, gets right back to work, entirely imdifferent to the bewildered looks he attracts from everyone in the room. Alec Lightwood, they all know, is a terrifyingly competent leader, and a complete hardass. He’s got little time and even less patience for incompetence or immaturity. He gives the Institute a hundred percent, and expects the same from everyone else. So while the frequent sight of his warlock boyfriend has slowly introduced them to the idea that Alec does have something vaguely resembling human emotions lurking beneath his resting bitchface, this is a whole new level of personalization.

This is Alec, without a second thought, broadcasting to the world – to the people he works with who have belittled and looked down on him for years – just how kind and gentle and vulnerable he really is under that hard shell.

The Alec Lightwood they all think they know is far too cold and uptight to coddle a frightened child.

They don’t know Alec like Jace knows Alec. This – this soft, sweet, loving man – is the man Jace has always known.

And if anyone even looks at him in a way Jace decides is unprofessional, he’s going to rip their spine out. In a totally child friendly, none gory manner. He’s under no illusion that if he makes Madzie cry, Alec will asign him to ichor duty for the next decade  

So yeah, Jace is on edge. Somehow, without really understanding when, his _parabatai_ has gone and basically adopted a warlock child with his centuries old, glitter strewn Downworlder boyfriend.

Shadowhunters aren’t accepting. They aren’t kind. They certainly don’t coddle.

Alec bounces Madzie on his hip and within minutes, the little girl has turned her face out of his neck to blink curiously at the busyness around her. It’s clear she feels entirely safe with Alec, a rare thing to find in a Downworld child surrounded by Shadowhunters.

She stares, unabashedly curious, at Underhill when he jogs over with a tablet. Jace can’t hear what’s being said, but from Alec’s grave expression, it’s clearly not good.

The way he turns and heads towards Jace? Also not good. If it’s bad enough for him to consider sending Jace back into the field…

“Hey Madzie?” Alec turns his head to look at her. “You think you’ll be okay sitting with Uncle Jace for a few minutes while I look over some stuff? I’ll be right there-“ he twists around and points back at the spot they were just occupying. Clearly whatever Underhill wants Alec to see isn’t for the eyes of children.

Wait. _Uncle_ Jace?

The wave of panic Jace projects through the bond makes Alec smirk, the asshole, but he doesn’t set Madzie down until she nods her head. Then Jace suddenly has a small child sat on his knee.

“Er…hi?” Jace’s gaze darts to his monitor. _Please_ _don’t_ _be_ _full_ _of_ _dead_ _bodies_. _Please_ _don’t_ _be_ _full_ _of_ _dead_ _bodies_. Maps of the sewers. Thank the Angel.

“Hi,” Madzie says shyly. She’s never quite managed to look Jace in the eye without flinching.

“Atta girl,” Alec gives her one of his big, beaming smiles and some of the tension melts from Madzie’s small frame. “I’ll be right there.” Again, he waits for her acknowledgement before leaving.

And now… _now_ the other Shadowhunters are whispering. _Now_ they’re smirking. Jace isn’t sure if it’s because they know he can’t be trusted with a goldfish, let alone a miniature person, or if it’s because they think Alec foolish for leaving her with a murderer.

Jace has no idea what to say to someone so much younger. His only real interaction with kids is with Max, who wants to grow up and be exactly like Jace which, while horrifying, at least gives them some talking points.

Actually…

“So, bad dreams, huh?” Jace asks, turning a little so she can rest her back against the desk and find some stability that doesn’t involve him clinging to her for fear of dropping her. She looks away shyly, dark eyes tracking Alec, who is glowering at the tablet Underhill is showing him, his jaw clenched tightly. “You know, I used to have a lot of bad dreams when I was a kid.” Still do, he thinks miserably. “You know what I did?”

She still won’t meet his eyes, but she shakes her head.

“I used to go running to Alec,” Jace confides, a small, childish part of him longing for the security of that safety blanket. He doesn’t go to Alec every time he has a nightmare, not like he used to. Alec has his own life now, his own needs and desires, and a boyfriend who might be one of the most empathetic men alive but probably doesn’t relish the idea of sharing his bed with the sobbing wreck Jace is when he wakes up. “He gives the best hugs, huh?”

Madzie nods furiously. She can’t take her eyes off Alec, and Jace recognizes that as well. As an adult, he knows how much his arrival into the Lightwood family forced Alec into the shadows, but as a child, all Jace ever did was stare at Alec and long to be someone worthy of his affection. Alec, in his quiet, awkward way, gave Jace the safety and stability to learn how to love without fear. Now, matured, confident, and comfortable in his skin in a way Jace has never seen before, there’s no doubt Alec can give Madzie everything she needs. And that’s before you add Magnus to the mix. They might not have custody of Madzie, but they’re going to be wonderful parents someday.

“Did he make you feel better?” Madzie’s voice is so small and shy Jace almost doesn’t hear her.

Smiling, he nods his head. “Yeah. He still does.”

A hand falls onto Jace’s shoulder. Polished purple fingers and an adornment of sparkly rings are a clear identifier, even before the soothing scent of sandalwood drifts over them. Alec’s started to smell the same, which is fucking adorable in one way, and horrifying in the sense of Jace never wanting to hear any details of his siblings’ love lives.

“Hello, Sweetpea,” Magnus smiles. “You keeping Jace company?”

“Alec’s looking at sad things,” she says. Magnus is clearly some kind of deity and Jace has no idea how anyone can be fixed by such a sad, jaded expression and not immediately start crying.

“It’s part of his job, little one. He does it so he can protect people. And then, when he’s done, you and I can cheer him up, yes?” Madzie nods again, equally as furious as before. Now, when she looks back at Alec, it’s with a stubbornness Jace doesn’t envy his brother being the focus of.

“Jace can help,” she says. Magnus’s hand tightens on Jace’s shoulder, supportive, as Jace battles the urge to run and hide. He knows he’s not part of this, not part of the new little family Alec has found himself, but the inclusion, even as an outsider, is overwhelming.

“I’ll do my best,” he promises her.

Dark eyes turn to meet his own. She’s so tiny, so very innocent, and yet there’s a spark of power in her that says she plans on holding Jace to his word. For a second, it’s like she’s seeing into his soul, and Jace cringes, horrified at that idea she _can_ , and what she might be seeing.

Her little chin setting firmly, she finally blinks. “We’ll look after Uncle Jace, too,” she says.

If Alec’s not-adopted-kid makes Jace cry, he’s breaking something.

“I think that’s fair,” Magnus says, not removing his hand from Jace’s shoulder.

Madzie hops off Jace’s knee before he has the chance to catch her. Running across the ops center, she reaches Alec’s side. Alec doesn’t have to look before crouching down and catching her, settling her back in place against his side.

Underhill palms the tablet, says something to Alec, then nods and moves away to organize rotations. He leaves Alec and Madzie in the middle of it all. People fire questions across workstations, wanting Alec’s opinion or approval, providing him with the information he needs to make decisions.

The Shadowhunters are, Jace realizes, entirely unconcerned by the two warlocks in their midst, and they seem to care even less that their leader is leading with one hand and holding a child with the other.

“Damnit, Alec,” Jace breathes, unable to stop the smile from spreading across his face. It’s an almost unfamiliar feeling, but once it sets in place, there’s no ridding it. All Jace has to do is look over at his _parabatai_. Madzie curls herself up, clinging like a koala and eventually falling asleep in Alec’s arms.

“Imagine how I feel,” Magnus chuckles, besotted adoration in every line of his face. “Just so you know, I have every intention of marrying that man some day.”

Jace thinks about it, about Alec marrying Magnus Bane. Their love has already changed this Institute, changed everyone in it, really. Angel, if they get married they’ll probably end up changing the world.

Jace grins even wider. This, he can’t wait to see. Alicante’s going to implode.

“And Jace?” The shift in Magnus’s voice draws his attention away from Alec and Madzie. When Jace looks up, the expression waiting for him is infinitely kind. “He’ll never turn you away when you need him. He wouldn’t be the man I loved if he could. You’re always welcome.”

Jace is done. “You assholes are determined to make me fucking cry,” he says, scrubbing his face with his hands.

Across the room, too far away to reasonably hear what Jace has said, Alec suddenly growls, “Language!”

And that is the first – the only thing- that brings horror to the eyes of the Shadowhunters in the room.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So the adorableness of these four won't leave me alone. Have some sleepy sick!fic 
> 
> There might be more of these. It will probably take less than zero convincing. Let me know what you think!

When Jace knocks on the door to Alec and Magnus’s loft, it’s a little after one in the morning. Alec’s had three days off work and hasn’t been seen in the Institute since the start of the week. Jace, feeling like an untethered boat caught in a rip current, floundering without his _parabatai_ to moor him, can’t sleep.

“I’m sorry,” he says, the first thing out of his mouth when the door opens. “Magnus said I could, that you’d not mind—” he breaks off. It’s Alec at the door, yes, but it doesn’t really look like anyone is home. Madzie it clinging to him, her pink pyjamas covered by a blanket and her little face almost green with nausea. Alec, his eyes glassy and unfocused, looks like he’s not slept in the entire three days he’s been off.

Jace can’t think of a single time he’s ever seen Alec look so rough, not even after some of their more wild hunts. His t-shirt is on inside out, there’s what looks – and smells – like vomit in his hair, and he’s clearly not shaved since leaving the Institute.

“Madzie’s sick,” he says, failing to acknowledge the fact that it’s the middle of the night.

Jace steps inside the loft and lets Alec triple lock the door behind him. “Where’s Magnus?”

“Also sick,” Alec croaks. "Catarina's stuck in Greece for the week." It doesn’t sound like he’s sick as well, just exhausted. “Here-“

Alec passes Madzie to Jace and then vanishes into the bedroom.

Instinct, more than anything, has Jace wrapping his arms around the little girl. The rate this keeps happening, he’s going to need to read some kind of kids manual. He tries not to jostle her as he tucks the blanket around her shoulders. She, unlike Alec, is clean, though there’s something sickly sweet in the way she smells that makes it clear she’s unwell. She wraps small arms around his neck and clings the same way she did to Alec.

Jace tries to think of all the things Alec might say and finds himself coming up blank. Comforting people isn't really his strong suit. Still, it’s almost nice, holding someone. He feels useful, like if maybe by doing this, he can ignore the restlessness under his skin and focus on something else entirely. If Madzie needs to be held, Jace figures he can handle that without fucking something up.

“How you feeling, sparkles?”

She whimpers, and presses her nose to his neck. Angel, but her skin is hot. Jace knows next to nothing about kids, but he’ll take a bet and say they aren’t supposed to feel like they’re on fire. He’s about to unwrap her from the blanket when a shiver runs through her body. When Jace puts the back of his hand against her forehead to test her temperature better, he frowns at the dark red spots that creep up her neck.

“I got you,” he whispers, “Alec’ll be back in a minute.”

It’s more like five minutes when Alec returns with wet, clean hair, a new t-shirt, and odd socks. Jace passes Madzie back to him and can’t understand why he suddenly misses her. “So what is this?” he asks, following Alec to the couch. “Warlock chickenpox?”

“Pretty much,” Alec’s voice sounds like gravel. He tries to set Madzie down on the couch but gives up when she refuses to stop clinging to him. “Catarina says it’s something warlock kids sometimes get. Apparently it only really lasts a week or so.”

“And Magnus?”

Alec closes his eyes tightly as if trying to force them to focus when they reopen. “His immune system’s shot. Centuries of warlock resistance to every mundane bug out there and he’s laid out by something he outgrew when France was still a monarchy.” Jace gets the feeling he’s repeating Magnus verbatim and winces in sympathy for both of them.

“If he’s getting a warlock sickness, does that mean there’s a chance he can get his powers back?” Alec looks desperately towards the kitchen, clearly thinking about coffee. In a pale blue t-shirt, Jace can make out the faintly glowing outline of his stamina rune. “When did you last sleep?”

“Tuesday,” Alec mumbles, visibly torn between sinking into the couch and struggling up in search of caffeine. "Don't know."

Jace’s eyebrows climb. Now's not the time to address the issue of Magnus's magic, but - “It’s Friday. Well, Saturday.”

Alec makes a soft whimpering sound and closes his eyes. For a second, Jace thinks he’s fallen asleep, then he’s jerking upright, struggling to his feet and stumbling to the kitchen. Jace manages to catch him before he falls flat on his face, pivoting round until he can take Madzie in his own arms and drop Alec ungracefully over the back of the couch. His head hits the velvet cushions, and he’s out. There’s a limit to what even stamina runes can achieve, and Alec hoped right past that a day and a half ago.

Getting Alec settled comfortably on the couch while juggling a clingy, half asleep child requires a level of dexterity that should be taught at the Academy. Alec could make things easier by not being so fucking tall, but he’s no help, his head thrown backward over a cushion and a soft snore filling the loft.

Once he’s squashed Alec onto the couch as best he can, he gently pries Madzie from around his neck and settles her against Alec’s chest. As soon as she’s down, Alec lifts and arm to stop her from falling, not even missing a beat mid-snore. Snatching the closest throw - gold and navy velvet that weighs a ton - Jace tucks them both in.

That leaves Magnus. By this point - multiple life saving exercises, existence changing sacrifices, a brief stint as housemates, a shared pact to murder anyone who hurts Alec, and they’re practically brothers-in-law already - Jace figures he can throw caution to the wind and head into the master bedroom. He knows for a fact he’s not about to walk in on his brother in a compromising position, so he doesn’t even hesitate. He does knock though, he’s got some manners, no matter what Alec says.

There’s no answer, so Jace sneaks in quietly.

The curtains are drawn, but the room isn’t stuffy the way he’s expecting. Alec’s clearly aired it out. There’s a set of bedding piled up to be laundered and fresh ones on the bed. Jace has seen their bedroom before, but it feels different this time.

The sheets rustle on the bed. Magnus’s voice, tired and without guile, calls out. “Alec?” He sounds terrible.

“It’s me,” Jace corrects, edging closer to the bed as Magnus struggles to sit upright. “No, hey-“

“Is everything alright?” How typically Magnus. He looks and sounds like he’s dying and the second he thinks someone might need him, he’s struggling to help.

Jace reaches his side in time to stop him falling out of bed entirely. He’s shirtless, and Angel, he’s burning worse than Madzie. It hits Jace that this is the first time he’s ever seen Magnus without his custom eyeliner. He suddenly feels like he’s witnessing a warrior without their armor to hide behind, and it strikes him how young Magnus looks. He’s supposed to be timeless, powerful with or without magic.

Maybe he still is timeless. His face is young, but there’s something agonizingly ancient in his eyes. A weight and a heaviness that is rarely given chance to surface.

“Jace?”

He’s staring, he must be, and he wonders if he’s ever going to be able to find the words to thank Magnus for what he’s done.

“You’re sick,” Jace says stupidly.

“I’m fine,” Magnus says, his face green. “Where’s Alec?”

Fine, he says. Like he’s not shaking and sweating under Jace’s hand. Like he’s not had his whole world torn away from him. Like he’s not mortal and vulnerable and fragile and…

Jace is going to pass out. Magnus is vulnerable. To danger, yes, but Jace can protect him from that. He can be a barrier between Magnus and harm. But this… _sickness_. _Mortality_. Magnus is going to die one day, and it’s going to be because of Jace.

Jace can’t protect him from fucking flu. He’s going to die, and it’ll kill Alec.

Angel, _Alec_. Jace’s basically killed his _parabatai’s_ boyfriend. That’s gotta be a whole new level of fucking failure.

“Jace. Where’s Alec?”

“Couch,” Jace croaks, dragging himself back to focus before he freaks Magnus out completely. “With Madzie.”

Magnus tries again to push back the bedding. “How’s she doing?”

“She’s fine and you’re fine but you need to not move and sleep - I mean you should sleep - and get better or Alec will kill someone probably me which would be fair but he says that’s a lot of paperwork and he’ll be extra grumpy if I land him with more paperwork so he’ll probably get someone to raise me from the dead so he can kill me again I don’t think there’s extra paperwork for double killing but I can -“

“I will throw up on you if you don’t shut up,” Magnus says, his eyes wide.

Jace snaps his jaw shut. That’s probably the most he’s said since…

Fuck, he needs to fucking sleep. He’s starting to sound like Simon.

“Please don’t puke on me,” Jace says meekly.

Magnus shuts his eyes and falls back against the pillows, grunting in pain. “You’d deserve it,” he grumbles, his dark hair unruly as it falls around his head. “You’re babbling. You never babble. Am I hallucinating? I better not be hallucinating you babbling, Jace Herondale.”

“Not a hallucination,” Jace says, though he’s not sure Magnus will believe him.

True enough, one dark eye opens and squints in suspicion. “You don’t sound very sure of that.”

“It’s been a long month,” Jace admits. “Half the time I’m not so sure myself.”

Magnus swears. Or at least Jace thinks he does. It’s not in a language he recognizes. Both eyes are open now, and Magnus’s brow pulls tight in concentration. “I’m seeing two of you,” he says, “and you both look terrible.”

“The world couldn’t handle two of me at my best,” Jace tries to joke.

Magnus snorts. He’ll take that as a win. “Help me up,” Magnus orders.

“Didn’t we just -“

“I promise I won’t let Alec kill you. Or hire a necromancer should I fail,” he adds before Jace can interrupt.

“I still don’t think you should be doing anything that doesn’t involve staying really still,” Jace protests. “And I can totally take Alec in a fight.” Even as exhausted as he feels right now. Especially as exhausted as Alec is. It’ll likely be history’s most pathetic fight, but Jace is sure he’ll win it.

Magnus finally stops pushing to get out of bed and settles for glaring. “Jace. I am tired and cranky and sore and still seeing two of you. None of these things make me happy. So either help me up, or I’ll tell Madzie you threatened to beat up her favorite person.”

Jace gawks at him. That’s… that’s…. “That’s a fucking low blow. I expect better from you, Magnus.”

“I’m having to get creative,” Magnus snarks. “Now, up!”

Jace might not win this one, but he can salvage some dignity - what little he still clings to. Shrugging, he takes hold of Magnus - bed sheets and all- and hauls him up into his arms.

“I do not need magic _or_ a Shadowhunter boyfriend to kill you, Jace!” Magnus’s voice is too rough to shout, but his expression could curdle milk. “Put me down before you drop me!”

“Please,” Jace snorts, “I once carried Alec twelve and a half miles with a bust ankle and three cracked ribs. I’m not going to drop you.” It’s a funny story to tell now, but the memory of clinging desperately to his brother is one of many that have tangled up inside his head, now part of a bigger, flawed picture in which every drop of Alec’s blood is shed by his hand.

“Alec,” Jace calls, carrying an extremely disgruntled Magnus into the main room of the loft. Alec might be half unconscious, but he’s a half unconscious _Shadowhunter_ , which means his body will respond to most orders shouted at it by a voice of authority. “Make some space.”

Alec blinks owlishly, more asleep than awake, but he obligingly scoots up the couch, tucking Madzie into the crook of one arm, and holding out the other.

“This is ridiculous,” Magnus says, flailing a little as he’s deposited on Alec’s chest. “You’re both ridiculous!”

It’s a big couch, but the only way for the three of them to fit comfortably is for Magnus to lay out entirely across Alec, and for Madzie to curl up in the small space between the back of the couch and their shoulders. Madzie, instead of getting squashed, glares sleepily at the back of the couch until it stretches to make more room.

Madzie is officially Jace’s favorite warlock.

Alec’s eyes are closed. “Hmm, shut up,” he mumbles, both big arms wrapping around Magnus and Madzie. “Comfy.”

There’s a throw, the bedsheets and an assortment of pillows, and now, thanks to Madzie, enough space for Jace to squeeze himself in by Alec’s head.

Jace half expects Magnus to complain, but he’s already fast asleep, his head pillowed on Alec’s chest. Thirty seconds after that, Alec’s snoring again.

This isn’t what Jace had in mind when he came over, but now that Alec and his tiny little family are all peacefully sleeping, he can’t help but feel like he’s done something good.

The snoring stops. “You’re thinking too loud. Go to fucking sleep.” Alec grumbles.

Madzie’s little voice says, “Language,” before she presses up against Magnus and sighs.

Jace shakes with silent laughter.

“I’m going to kill you as soon as I can stand upright,” Alec promises him.

“I’ll help,” Magnus murmurs.

“Good night!” Jace snickers.

 


End file.
